Czechoslovak Author's Certificate No. 169,336 discloses a device to cut and hold non-operating thread ends. This device is provided with movable cutting plates which cooperate by their cutting edges with a cutting edge of a stationary blade and by their blunt edges with holding pressing fingers. Each cutting plate feeds the thread between the surface of the stationary blade at its holding edge and the pressing fingers. The shapes of the cutting edge and holding edge are similar and always approximately straight, so that the space between the edges or the surface is not curved. Thus, when holding a thread of a certain diameter the distance along the whole length of the holding space is the same. When holding two threads of different diameters this distance is given by the thicker thread and therefore the thinner thread is not sufficiently held.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,392 discloses a cutting and holding device where the cutting plate consists of two pieces, where one of them is moreover, in the cutout behind the cutting edge, provided with a projection designed to hold the thread. During operation of the device said projection holds the thread before the cutting edge and in fact it prolongs the free end of the thread. This actually prevents premature withdrawal of the held thread and holding is improved. However, this device does not solve the problem holding of two threads of different diameter.